What is healthy?

The original intention was that we would live in perfection. This means no pain, no disease and no need for healthcare. However, as we are well aware, this isn’t exactly what happened.

Banished from the Garden of Eden, by choosing to eat from the tree of good and evil, we no longer had access to the life-giving fruit or the protection of God from pain. It’s in these few verses that we see God’s original plan – and the downfall that was experienced as humanity went against it.

We’re never left without a chance! God has given us instructions and directions for health and healing throughout the Bible.

Of course, what better way is there to gain or maintain health than by putting it in the hands of God Himself? We see many promises for God’s love, support and even healing in verses such as Philippians 4:6-7, Psalm 147:3 and Psalm 103:3-5.

This last verse sums it up the best. Not only does God help us physically, but He allows perhaps the more important part of forgiveness. Cleansing on the outside – and cleansing within.

Of course, part of the promise of health is focused on us participating in our own health. God gave us the ability to think, and free will – meaning that we can also help with avoiding these issues by following the advice we’re given in the Bible.

What we eat and drink also plays a large role – although perhaps a more divisive one. With endless diets storming the world, it’s sometimes difficult to know what is really right for us. It’s interesting to note that the more we discover about health and what an appropriate diet is, the more science tends to agree with the Bible’s standpoints. For example, recent medical discoveries feature the potential risks of consuming Biblically condemned animals (Leviticus 11:1-47) such as shellfish² and pork³. Further, we now consider the primary consumption of vegetables, fruit and other plants the most important elements of a diet⁴ (Genesis 1:29; Daniel 1:12). We know we should limit our sugar intake⁵ (Proverbs 25:27), and know the importance of drinking water⁶, where Biblically, it’s even likened to the gift of life (Revelation 22:17). These Bible-based understandings of health were put into a more digestible form for us, today by Ellen White, a prophet in the Seventh-Day Adventist church over 160 years ago⁷. Now, we see increasingly that these historical works are becoming obvious in their accuracy as science constantly makes discoveries that only confirm the old writings.

Spending time outdoors is another consistently proven health benefit⁹. Away from the old methods of trapping people in rooms to evade illness, we now understand that fresh air is essential to health. Being outside not only allows us to get those vital minerals and vitamins, such as Vitamin D, but allows us to truly become connected with God’s nature. Being in the space we were meant to be, with the nature God created for us to enjoy, we are able to experience peace and joy as we reflect on the power of our Creator and the beautiful things He created for us (Psalm 96:11-12; Isaiah 55:12).

Our connection with God is what makes everything else work – it’s not exercise, or going outdoors, or even mindful habits alone that make someone well. God is the Creator of all, and the one who gave us the ability to function. No wonder it’s essential to commune with Him. If the Master of the artwork is right here, of course, discussing with Him is the right choice.

Here, we don’t need to constantly battle against what we do and don’t know to be correct, as we are assured with the promise of a lifestyle similar to that of the beginning – one focused on nature, work that doesn’t wear us out and most importantly, with God Himself close by (Isaiah 65:17-25).

I¹CDC (n.d) Benefits of Physical Activity, Physical Activity Basics, Benefits of Physical Activity, retrieved: 27th Feb, 2025